Jason Hill

Before the blockbuster Doom, id Software’s pioneering Wolfenstein 3D first popularised the first-person shooter. Yet while shooters have been the most dominant force in video gaming over the past two decades, Wolfenstein sequels have failed to make any significant mark.

The New Order is a fitting title and should ensure Wolfenstein is a relevant force again. It’s a preposterous romp with an amusing schlock-horror vibe, and comes complete with gloriously melodramatic cut-scenes and an absorbing alternate history premise that the Nazis won World War II.

The prologue is set in 1946 with the Allies on the brink of defeat, and you are forced to make an impossible decision. The game then fast-forwards to 1960 in a world dominated by the Nazis. Awakening in a Polish asylum, our gruff hero BJ Blazkowicz is determined to rebuild the resistance.

It’s not long before BJ has his ample hands on a powerful arsenal. Absurdly, nearly every one of the oversized weapons is available for duel-wielding.

Weapon upgrades include silencers, long-range shotguns and even rocket launchers. Working out which weapons are the best for each situation is an interesting challenge.

The furious firefights are entertaining thanks to reasonably intelligent foes that use cover effectively and try to outflank you. Cover is destructible, while the labyrinthine level design provides further encouragement to keep moving. Despite the awesome firepower on offer, stealth can be a viable option. It’s particularly important to quietly take out Commanders with your knife or silenced pistol before they call for reinforcements.

You can also use a laser as both a weapon and a tool to cut through obstacles, and learn how to pick locks. The lack of multiplayer modes is a surprise, but the campaign is lengthy and there’s replay appeal.